Birth of a Moomba Legend: Mojo Build Day 3

Moomba Boats @MoombaBoats is digitally chronicling the first production build of the new Mojo 2.5 wakeboard boat with daily build photo posts. This series of blog posts and photos galleries will illustrate the superior production processes that make a Moomba boat.

Today is the third production day of this new Moomba wide-bow wake boat and it is the first day we actually get to witness the payoff. Today is when we see the exterior of the boat for the first time and are able to marvel at the results dedicated preparation can achieve. The Mojo deck is pulled from the mold revealing a pristine exterior surface of the boat, while the hull receives its vinylester barrier coat, skin coat, ceramic barrier coat and stringers.

After the initial skin coat of fiberglass and resin is allowed to dry on the Mojo deck, a ceramic barrier coat is applied. This layer separates the gel coat from the thick woven fiberglass cloth that will be applied later in the lamination process. Because of its location and the characteristics of the substance, this barrier coat protects the gel coat from print-through which occurs when the pastern of the fiberglass cloth is visible through the gel coat.

Next, pieces of heavy woven fiberglass cloth are added to the deck for strength, especially in high-stress areas. In addition to the woven roving, composite materials are added to the boat to reinforce structural integrity. High Density Polyethylene or HDPE is placed in areas of the deck that will accept screw fasteners. HDPE has 10-times the screw retention of plywood and is the perfect reinforcement material for attachment points. Poly Vinyl Chloride Board or PVC Board is white and adds stiffness. It is often used for bracing in areas like transoms and walk-throughs. PVC is extremely porous to soak up resin and become a part of the boat. Aqua Plas IV is a composite material that is used to reinforce high stress areas that also require vibration and noise dampening like motor and pylon mounts. Once all of the additional fiberglass and reinforcements have been executed the deck is left to set-up.

Once the deck has rested, it is pulled from the mold to give us a look at the exterior of the boat for the first time. Notice the luster of the finish. This is where the extra time spent on mold maintenance and preparation is reflected.

Once the gel coat pattern has been sprayed into the hull, the Mojo is covered with a vinylester barrier coat to protect the boat from blisters. This black protective coating costs extra time and money, but the blister-free surfaces on our customers boats make this step well worth the costs.

The skin coat is the first layer of fiberglass that will be applied to this Mojo's hull. The skin coat is a vital process to ensure a smooth durable gel coat finish. During first step in lamination the mix of fiberglass and resin is digitally monitored to ensure the perfect combination and weight for the optimum skin coat. Once applied this mixture is hand-rolled by dedicated Moomba Team members to make sure it fills every corner and crease in the hull.

Once the skin coat drys, the ceramic barrier coat is applied. Then, just like the process the deck follows, heavy woven fiberglass cloth is added to the hull for strength. But unlike the deck the hull CompSys stringers are added in these steps as well. This foam-filled fiberglass backbone is laminated to the inside of the hull with a weighted jig system so it becomes part of the structure of the boat.

Tomorrow we will see the hull exterior after it is pulled from the mold.

One of the many great things about the individuals who work on the production line at Moomba Boats, is their dedication to continued improvement. They are constantly looking to better themselves and the processes they execute everyday. The results are evident in the new Mojo 2.5.

Stay tuned to the Moomba Boats Blog for more photos and production process descriptions of the first production Mojo 2.5 build. Your Mojo could be next. Moomba is brand you!

Tags: Moomba Boats | Mojo | Mojo 2.5 | model introduction | 2012 | wakeboard boat | wakeboarding | wakesurfing | wakes | wide-bow | value | lamination | barrier coat | mold pull | skin coat | build photos | production

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